1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a zoom lens. In an aspect, it relates to a wide-angle zoom lens adapted for use in a single lens reflex camera, and more particularly to a zoom lens having a large aperture ratio and suitable for automatic focusing. In another aspect, it relates to a zooming method of the zoom lens, and more particularly to a zooming method suitable for inner focusing.
2. Related Background Art
For zoom lenses, particularly those of wide angle for use in single-lens reflex cameras, there have been widely utilized a negative-positive two-group configuration and a negative-positive-negative-positive 4-group configuration.
However, it has been difficult to achieve a large aperture ratio with the negative-positive 2-group zoom lens. Also if the negative-positive-negative-positive 4-group zoom lens is designed with a large aperture ratio, the first focusing lens group becomes large, thus increasing the burden on the motor in the case of auto focusing, so that a high focusing speed is difficult to achieve.
The focusing of the zoom lens is generally achieved by a method for moving the first lens group toward the object. Such a method is widely utilized because of an advantage that the amount of movement of the first lens group for focusing to a given object distance does not depend on the focal length of the zoom lens.
Also, there have been proposed, for example in the Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 57-5012, zoom lenses of an inner focus method or a rear focus method in which a lens group, positioned closer to the image plane than the first lens group, is moved for focusing.
The first group moving method, in which the relatively large and heavy first lens group is moved for focusing, is associated with a lower focusing speed when auto focusing, in comparison with the inner or rear focusing method. It is also inadequate for a waterdrop-proof or water-proof camera, as the outermost lens group has to be moved.
On the other hand, in the zoom lens of the rear focusing method proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 57-5012, the amount of movement of the focusing lens group, required for focusing to the object at a given distance varies significantly depending on the focal length of the zoom lens, and the lens becomes defocused if a zooming operation is conducted after the lens is focused to the object at a short distance.